OKRs: Why Do Teams Lean Toward Outputs — and Why Should They Embrace Outcomes?

When setting OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), many teams naturally gravitate toward outputs. It’s understandable:

• Outputs are easier to control and predict. Outputs provide tangible steps that teams can complete, offering a sense of progress.
• It’s clear how to achieve them. Teams can plan delivery milestones, making them feel productive and in control.
• They can be tracked in the short term with less complexity. Immediate results like features shipped or projects delivered give teams quick wins.

However, focusing on outputs can come at a cost. Teams risk becoming a “feature factory”—prioritising quantity over value. Instead of driving impactful change, they end up optimising delivery timelines and losing sight of what truly matters: outcomes.

While outputs have their place, outcomes—the actual results and value created—often deliver greater impact. Here’s why:

• Outcomes enable value-driven comparisons and data tracking. Measuring the results of your work helps assess whether you’re creating value, not just completing tasks. For example, shipping a feature (output) is great, but increasing customer satisfaction or retention (outcome) proves its worth.
• Outcomes drive learning for the team and the organisation. When teams shift their focus to outcomes, they move beyond activity-based thinking. They start asking critical questions: Did this initiative solve the problem? Did it improve the metric we care about?
• Outcomes provide clearer, narrower focus. Outputs can scatter a team’s efforts across too many priorities, while outcomes align everyone around what matters most—achieving the objective.

Teams often default to outputs because they’re easier to manage. But this focus can lead to several challenges:

• Short-term thinking: Delivering outputs quickly might seem effective, but it doesn’t guarantee long-term value.
• Misaligned priorities: Teams might deliver features that don’t contribute to strategic goals.
• Lack of impact: Without measuring outcomes, it’s hard to understand if your efforts are making a difference.

Outputs are milestones—necessary steps toward achieving your objectives. But outcomes are the ultimate destination. To strike the right balance:

1. Define success in terms of outcomes: Identify the change you want to see, not just the actions you’ll take.
2. Use outputs as stepping stones: Outputs should help you achieve outcomes, but they shouldn’t be the end goal.
3. Prioritise by value: Focus on initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes aligned with your objectives.

Making the shift from outputs to outcomes requires a mindset change. Teams must:

• Adopt a product-led approach: Prioritise customer value and continuous improvement over pure delivery.
• Focus on “time to money” instead of “time to market”: Ensure every deliverable contributes to the organisation’s success.
• Track and learn from results: Measure outcomes consistently to understand what works and iterate accordingly.

By concentrating on outcomes, teams align their efforts with organisational goals, delivering value that matters. Remember: Outputs are what you do; outcomes are why you do it. Shifting your focus ensures your work drives impact, not just activity.

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